Above: Blossom Queen and princesses, flowers, marching girls, bands, arches, crowds, iconic buildings - memories are made of these!  More at http://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/imagegalleries/historic/index.php
 

Hastings Library has a Local History collection covering the history of Hastings and district.  In addition there are many items available for lending collections.

The two works covering Hastings history are:
City of the plains by M. B. Boyd, 1984 
Town and country by Matthew Wright, 2001

Maryan Moss wrote this Historic Outline in 1999 (Pdf 170kb)

►See News Resources for access to local newspapers on microfilm in Hastings and Napier Libraries
 

They are held on the second Tuesday of the month, 5:30pm - home by 7pm.

Upstairs at Hastings Library, gold coin admission.  All welcome to attend.

More at the Landmarks History Group website: www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/sites/localhistory

or  Landmarks History Group Blog
 

Rohan Luttrell is the first speaker for the Landmarks History Group for 2010, and he will give a history of the Carlton Club Hotel (now the site of Breakers on the corner of Karamu and Heretaunga Streets).

The Carlton Club Hotel was built in 1882, and survived the 1931 earthquake because of its wooden construction. The Luttrell family took ownership in 1933 and the hotel was kept in the family until the building was demolished circa 1970 to make way for the present building, now occupied by Breakers.

Rohan Luttrell lived in the Carlton Hotel as a child and witnessed some of the unusual goings on that occurred. These include the antics of a touring French Rugby team staying at the hotel and the 1950s Blossom Festival riot in Hastings, which started in the Albert Hotel across the road.

The talk promises to be entertaining and informative, with Rohan recalling his memories of growing up in the hotel in Hastings.

When: Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Where: Upstairs at Hastings Public Library
Entry: Gold coin donation.

►Papers Past - National Library of NZ - digitised collection of 19th and early 20th century newspapers, including: Hawke's Bay Herald from Sept 1857.  May be used online from home or take advantage of our fast connections to view these in the library for no charge.  

Historic Buildings

►Art Deco Trust - After the 1931 earthquake Hastings and Napier were rebuilt in the Art Deco and Spanish Mission styles.

►Duart House - Havelock North - built in 1882 for Allan McLean and family, is a beautiful example of a carefully restored and maintained colonial estate. Set in 3 acres of gardens, open to the public.  The house is open on the first Sunday of each month.

►Hawke's Bay Opera House - Built in 1915 in the Spanish Mission style, formerly called the Hastings Municipal Theatre. The Opera House and precincts (including the Municipal buildings and Opera Plaza) have been significantly upgraded and refurbished in recent years.

►St Matthew's Church - historic church in central Hastings.  Architect B.W. Mountfort  designed the original wooden church in 1886 and Frederick de Jersey Clere designed the 1915 addition in reinforced concrete.
 

This preserves your collection both for yourself and for future generations. 

If you are interested, please contact Madelon at Hastings Library or email reference1@hdc.govt.nz